How do you check a plumbing license in Alabama?

Key facts

• State of Alabama – Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board

  Source: Alabama board consumer links, read 2 November 2026.

• License Type

  Source: Alabama board individual lookup form, read 2 November 2026.

• To register a company, there must be a separate Principal Master for each of the respective trades.

  Source: Alabama board scope and supervision FAQ, read 2 November 2026.

How do you search for a plumber in Alabama?

Open the board's individual lookup and use the license-number or name inputs for the person you want to look up. The form also labels county, type and status selectors. These are search controls; they do not describe a particular person's record. Source read 2 November 2026.

Source: Alabama board individual lookup form, read 2 November 2026.

The Alabama portal labels its inputs: "License Number [Input: License Number] Last Name [Input: Last Name] First Name [Input: First Name] County [Select] License Type [Select] License Status [Select]". Enter information on the agency's site. Read the status exactly as the record shows it; no status interpretation is offered here.

Source: Alabama board individual lookup form, read 2 November 2026.

The empty search form gives this instruction: "( Please click on the Print option to view the full license details. )" This is the portal's instruction, rather than a description of a result inspected for this guide. No individual search was submitted in researching this page.

Source: Alabama board individual lookup form, read 2 November 2026.

Do companies need a separate registration in Alabama?

Yes. The Alabama board's FAQ distinguishes company registration from the individual worker's certificate. Its explanation reads: "Companies (Entities) who contract, engage in, offer to engage in, or convey the impression that they are in the business of plumbing or gas fitting must be properly registered as such by the PGFB. To register a company, there must be a separate Principal Master for each of the respective trades." Source read 2 November 2026. A person's name and the business you are considering are separate things to take to the board's public-record tools.

Source: Alabama board scope and supervision FAQ, read 2 November 2026.

For the journeyman's role, the same FAQ answers its question about contracting: "No. A Journeyman is required to be employed by a company that has a Principal Master. Under no circumstance, other than the above listed exemptions, can a Journeyman act as his own contractor. Outside of the exemptions listed above, an apprentice falls under the requirement to be working for a registered company and furthermore, be supervised by a Master or Journeyman." This explains why finding an individual journeyman is a different task from looking up the company offering the work.

Source: Alabama board scope and supervision FAQ, read 2 November 2026.

Does a Master have to stay on the jobsite?

The Alabama board answers no, with inspection and supervision qualifications. Its jobsite FAQ reads: "No, but the law states that if there are any problems on a job, the Building Official can require them to be onsite during the inspection. The minimum level of supervision on a jobsite is as follows: Residential jobsites as defined by our law – Minimum of one Journeyman or Master for up to five apprentices. Non-residential jobsites (Anything not defined as residential) – Minimum of one Journeyman or Master for up to three apprentices." Source read 2 November 2026. Ask which role the person doing the work will have, rather than treating the word Master as a statement that this person will remain onsite throughout the job.

Source: Alabama board scope and supervision FAQ, read 2 November 2026.

Who can exchange a water heater in Alabama?

The Alabama board distinguishes exchanging a water heater from performing its gas connections. Its water-heater FAQ says: "Master Plumbers (or certified Journeyman Plumbers who are employed by a Master) may exchange gas or electric water heaters. However, they are NOT allowed to perform any gas piping, install gas shut off valves or install gas connectors." Source read 2 November 2026. Describe the water-heater replacement and any gas piping or connector work separately when discussing the scope. The quoted distinction concerns the work each role may perform; it does not identify anyone for your job.

Source: Alabama board scope and supervision FAQ, read 2 November 2026.

Who needs a Master Plumber certificate in Alabama?

The Alabama board's Master Plumber FAQ answers: "Any Person or Entity who contracts, engages in, offers to engage in, or conveys the impression that he or she is certified in plumbing." Source read 2 November 2026. This is the board's answer about offering plumbing work, rather than an application checklist for a new apprentice or an explanation of examination preparation.

Source: Alabama board scope and supervision FAQ, read 2 November 2026.

For the underlying statewide scope, the board's published chapter, section 34-37-1(2), reads: "The board shall examine, certify, and regulate plumbers, gas fitters, and medical gas piping fitters on a statewide basis pursuant to this chapter." The PDF is the agency's published copy; its filename identifies a draft from the signed bill. It is not presented here as an independently consolidated code edition.

Source: Alabama board published Title 34 chapter 37, read 2 November 2026.

For the renewal cycle, the board's published section 34-37-8(a) reads: "Any person who holds a certificate issued by the board shall be issued statewide certification upon the annual renewal of their existing certificate."

Source: Alabama board published Title 34 chapter 37, read 2 November 2026.

For the expiration date, the board's published section 34-37-9 reads: "All annual certificates or registrations shall expire on December 31 of the year in which they are issued." These are certificate dates, rather than a project-completion promise or a statement about a particular person's present status.

Source: Alabama board published Title 34 chapter 37, read 2 November 2026.

If the issue concerns work already performed at your residence, use the board's consumer complaint page. Its instructions read: "In order to file a consumer complaint, you must fill out the Consumer Complaint Form. This form is to be used only to file a complaint on a contractor who has performed work at your residence." Source read 2 November 2026. The complaint route is separate from searching for a person before hiring.

Source: Alabama board consumer complaint instructions, read 2 November 2026.

Where does InstaBids fit in?

One point about InstaBids follows. There is no cost to see a request or bid.

Sources for the facts on this page

• Alabama board consumer links, read 2 November 2026
• Alabama board individual lookup form, read 2 November 2026
• Alabama board scope and supervision FAQ, read 2 November 2026
• Alabama board published Title 34 chapter 37, read 2 November 2026
• Alabama board consumer complaint instructions, read 2 November 2026